Skimmer Help , Lifereef

[rottielover]

Hello all,

My friend came thru and dropped off a LifeReef skimmer, this thing is much bigger than I expected! Unfortunatly I don't have a model number

All I can tell you is that it's JUST the skimmer, no valves, pump, just the skimmer itself.

It has two female threaded PVC connections, the look like 1" to me, but when I hold a ruler up to them the inside diameter is 1 1/4" outside is 1 1/2"....

I've looked up some pics on the net but can't find any instructoins online.

I think I need a gate valve that will fit the lower connector, and some kind of fitting for the top where I can get a venturie on it.

I'm not even sure how big a pump this thing is going to need.


My plan at this time was to use flexible tubing to get the water into and out of the sump. Due to the size of this thing I'm going to have to put it ouside my stand, so I was going to raise it up by placing it on a box (or similar) to make sure gravity will drain the water back to the sump.

Can someone point me to some good websites that might tell me how to plumb, and "dial-in" this type of skimmer?

[rottielover]

no one?

[rottielover]

Well I think I may have acutally got this thing working with a little creative PVC work...

The only pump I had laying around was a Mag-3, and it has 1/2" output, the input and output on this old skimmer are both 1", so off to the hardware store...

I used 1/2" PVC and fittings all the way up to the input, then I used adapters from 1/2" to 3/4" and then from 3/4" to 1" worked nicely. The Mag3 filled the entire skimmer with water in just under 8 seconds. Since this is a venturie skimmer I drilled a hole just in front of the input in the 1/2" PVC, at first I tried an actual venturie valve, but that wasn't putting in enough air, so I pulled a big dual output airpump off a freshwater tank of mine and used it...

For the output I used 1" PVC, fittings and a PVC ball valve, it's letting me "dial up" the water column, just needs a gental touch.

Now the only problem (well maybe a problem) is that I"m not really getting any crud, just white bubbles breaking the surface, they do make a froth/foam, but nothing that "sticks". How long does it usually take for a skimmer to start getting crud? Should I be worried that I didn't see any right away?

Anyway I had a very slow drip leak in one joint so I siliconed it up and I"m letting it cure over night with the skimmer off.

I really hope I can get this thing working... It would let me save up for the "skimmer of my dreams"

[R1Bill]

Lifereef makes very good products. Jeff (the owner) would be very willing to help you if you give him a call. You should be able to find the skimmer on the website below and the pump size to go with it. You will want to use gate valves not ball. Gates are much easier to adjust. And, you will need a strong pump. A Little Giant MD3 is a starting point for a small Lifereef. Lifereef also sells venturis seperately.

http://www.lifereef.com/frame.html

Bill

[rottielover]

Thanks Bill,

I had a chat on the phone with Jeff this afternoon... If I ship him the cup he'll modify it and sell me the parts I need to get this one going, total cost looks like about $100 w/pump...

So does anyone else own these skimmers? This one is a VS2-24, is it as good or better than AquaC EV 180 / Euroreef ?